Closure member for valve stems



Jan. 1'5, 1929. 1,699,277

A. E. BRoNsoN cLosURE MEMBER Foa VALVE sTEus Filed Apn I7-, 1924 Arm/M1575.

Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES" PATENT er1-ICE, l ii ADELBEBT n. BBCNsoN, oF CLEVELAND, CHIC, .assrenoafro-V 'rmi DILL misioneros-.M ING comm, or CLEVELAND, omo, A CORPORATION or C1110. 1

CLosUna MEMBER rois:` VALVE armas.` y

Application mea April 17, 1924. seriai mi. 707,286.

The present invention relates to a construction for use in connection with closing the end of a valvestem, suchas is used in connection with `pneumatic tires, whereby the stem of the valve insides is entirely free from contact with any portion of the closure member,vand yet the closure member co-operates with the sides of the valve stem proper to pack it against theescape of air.

"lhe'particular application of the-present invention is made without limitation` as to any other or extended use which it might have. i l

The present invention is particularly useful in forming apart of the usual valve stem cap for closing the ends of valve stems as at present used. It is also particularly useful in connection with a combined dust cap and valve cap, such as 1s shown 1n the accompanying drawing and will be more fully explained later on.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming-a part of this specification, in which Fig.V 1 is an elevation with portions in section of a dust cap 1n position upon the valve stem, which dust c ap contains the present invention; Fig. 2.1s a top plan view of an expansible nut withm the dust cap; Fig. 3 is `an elevation of the expansible nut and parts contained therein inelevation of the closure member. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a modified embodimentof the invention. t

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, 1 is a valve stem of usual construction, being provided with threads upon the outer surface thereof, and also provided with the reduced neck portion 2 W iich is threaded upon its exterior. This valve stem is of usual and well known construction, and is adapted to receive upon the inside thereof any suitable form of valve insides, and in the drawing a stem for such a valve insides is indicated at 3.

In the manufacture of these stems it fre- 1A dust cap 4,1which may be of usual or any desired construction,` is provided,within` which is a slidable ex ansion member indif catedat' 5. This sli able expansion mem-1` ber has an upwardly extending wal1,`which is indicated at 6 inFig. 3,1 and this wall is provided with transverse slots, such `as indicated at 7 in Fig. 12. These slots, when formed in the wall 6, give `a certain amount of resiliency to the sections of the wall, making them expansible `when they are pressed from the inside outwardly. A The upstanding wall 6 is upon its interior wall fashioned with reentrant side portions such as indicated at 8 and 9, and within the Wallportion there is an expanding `member 10, which has a` `hollow central opening 11, and upon its outside wall is formed with out- 1 wardly diverging surfaces 11 and 12,1 somewhat complementar p to the diverging surfaces 8 and 9 whic are formed upon the inner wall of the portion 6. When the member 10 is pushed outwardly the sections of the upstanding l wall 6 are expanded out-` wardly and into contact with the inner sur-V face of the dust cap f1, so that the expansible member 5jand the shell will be securely 1 frictionall `locked together. 1 Below t 1e upstanding wall portion 6 there is a recess which is indicated at 13, which i recess has a lower ledge 14, and below the cluding the closure member; Fig. 4 1s an ledge there is an opening 15a which is threaded. Within the recess 13 there is a packing member which comprises a sheet metal shell 15 which has a skirt ortion 16, a top portion 17 and an upward y extending dome 18, which domeextends within the opening 11 of the expanding member 10.

The lower surface of the expanding member 10 has a receding or slanting surface which is indicated at 10, so that the top sur-` face 17 of the sheet metal member 15 is not in contact with the entire outer surface of the expanding member" 10, but because ofthe undercut surface'flO, the` engagement be- 1 tween the sheet metal member 15 is substan- Within the sheet metal member 15 there j1015 is a packing which is" indicated at 19. ThisI packing extends within the flange 16, and has a central opening which is approximately the same diameter as the base diameter of" the dome portion 18.` `Thus the packing turned the end of the portion 2 of the `valve.4

stem is turned up into the member 5, and the upper portion thereof engages with the packing 19. This pushesthe packing 19 and the metal member 15 upwardly, and

causes the expanding member 10 to be pushed upwardly, thereby pushing outwardly the upstanding portion 6 of the eX- pand'ing member, causing them to assume a tight frictional gripupon the inner wall of the shell 4, and thus eiectuallylocking the shell member 4 to the valve stem.

f As the upper en d of the portion 2 of the valve stem engages the packing 19, there is a frictional contact at the engaging surfaces, and due to the fact that the expanding member 10 has practically a line engagement with theitop ofthe sheet metal member 15, the packing19 and the sheet metal member turn with the valve stem, while of course, the eX panding `member' 10 lremains stationary. Thus the packing is not` abraded or torn by the end of the valve stem during the relative turning movement betweenthe valve stem 1 `andthe shell 4. When lthe upward movement of the ,expanding Vmember 10 has ceased, due to thewedging action, the vpacking 19 is in close contact with the edge of the extension 2 on the valve stem, and so operates as a packing to preventthe leakage of air.

`The wide central opening in the packing member 19 and the dome 18 of the member 15 all provide ample clearance space for the end of the stem 3 for the valve insides, so that it will not be depressed or contacted.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modified embodiment of the invention which has been described. i

VIt is quite customaryat the present time, particularly with the use of ordinary dust caps, to have` a cap screwedfdirectly upon the end of the valve stem, which valve cap is enclosed within a dust cap. A valve cap `,constructed inaccordance with the invention which has been described herein is shown in Fig. 5.

This valve cap comprises a member 20 which has a threaded openingV 21 which threaded opening is adapted toco-operate with the reduced portion such as indicated at 2 in Fig. 1, of a valve stem. The member 20 has a recess or chambered portion 22 which lies above the threaded portion 21 and Within this recess there isl an Vannular shoulder 23 which extends around the inner wall of the body of the member 20.

lVithin the recess there is placed the as sembly which is shown in Fig. 4 consisting of the capv member 15b having its dome#` shaped portion 181 and the washer or packing member 19bwhich is inserted within the cap member 15b.` 'Above the cap member 15') there is a closure plate 24 which engages with the shoulder 23 and is held in position by means of the overturned flange 25. EX- tending upwardlyfrom thisplate 24 is a cylindrical portion 26 which is notched out at the end as indicated at 27, to provide the usual and familiar screw driver provisions.

The plate 24 is provided with a recess 2S which is slightly largerthan the greatest diameter of the dome-shaped portion 18h, and in the assembly of the various elements which have been described the dome-shaped portion 18b extends into the recess 28. The under side of the plate 24 is cut away as indicated at 24, so that the engagement between the cap member 15b and the plate 24 is practically at the base .of the dome 18'?, and on a line contact. Therefore, when the valve cap as an entity, as shown in Fig. 5, is introduced upon the end of the valve stem, and the valve stem contacts with the packing 19h, the packing and the shell 15b will remain stationary with respect to the end of the valve stem, and the remainder of the valve cap will turn relative thereto until the valve cap is screwed to its proper position upon the valve stem.

This construction provides for a packing member which is swivelled within the interior of the valve cap proper, so that upon repeated operation the packing is not abraided, and additionally, the construction of the packing member and the shell which is united with it, is such that there is an enlarged central opening so that thestem of' the valve insides is not interferred with, even though the packing be distorted because of the pressure under which it may be placed when `the valve cap is screwed into position.

Having' described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a member having a threaded opening said member having a chambered portion above the threaded opening, a cap within said chambered portion which cap has a dome-shaped outwardly extending portion, means on the said member engaging with the dome-shaped portion of the cap whereby the cap may have a swivel movement, a washer within said .cap said washer having a central opening whichfis in line with the dome-shaped portion of the cap.

2. The combination withfa member havi ing a threaded yopening said member having a chambered portion above the threaded 4opening,-acap within said chambered portion said cap having a dome-shaped extending central portion, means engaging said cap member at substantially the base of the dome, and on approximately a line Contact, a washer within said cap said washer having a central opening which is on a diameter substantially the same as the base of the dome.

3. The combination with a member having a threaded opening adapted to receive the end of a valve stem, said member' having a recess portion beyond the threaded opening,

a cap within said threaded opening said cap having a central extending dome portion, means engaging said cap which means has slant-ing surface whereby the said means engages with the cap substantially only at the base of the dome, a packing within said cap said packing having a central opening which is of a diameter substantially the same as the largest diameter of the dome.

4. The combination with a member having a threaded opening adapted to receive the end of a valve stem and provided with a chamber above said threaded opening, a cap within said chambered portion having an extension at the top thereof, means engaging said extension to center the cap within the chambered portion and also providing a restricted surface engagement between the cap and the said means to permit relatively easy turning movement of the cap, a washer within the cap and having an enlarged central opening.

5. The combination of a dust cap shell having a member therein which has a threaded opening at the end opposite the open end of the dust cap shell, said threaded opening being adapted to receive the end of a valve stem said member being provided with a recess and the upper portion of said member having flexible portions `which may be pushed outwardly, said member having a central opening, an expanding member within said opening and adjacent the portions of said member which may be pushed outwardly, said expanding member having a central opening, a cap member within the 'said chamber and below the expanding miemwber said cap member having a central dome shaped portion which extends into the opening in the expanding member, a. packing within the cap member and adjacent the aforesaid threaded opening, the said packing and cap being adapted to transmit the thrust of the valve stem to push the expanding member into expanding position.

G. The combination with a dust cap shell having an open end, a member within said shell having frictional engagement with the wall thereof said member having a threaded opening opposite the opening in the shell said member also having a chambered portion above said opening, the portion of said member remote from the threaded opening having the walls thereof expansible, an expandino member within said chambered portion and walls thereof said expanding member having a central opening, a cap Within the said chambered portion and below the expanding member said cap having a dome-shaped central portion which extends into the opening of the expanding member, the said expanding member engaging the cap substantially only at the base of the dome in a substantially line contact, a packing within the said cap said packing having a central opening of approximately the same diameter as the greatest diameter of the dome-shaped portion of the cap.

7. The combination `with a dust cap shell of a member within said shell having frictional contact with the Wall thereof, said member having a threaded opening opposite the open end of the dust cap saidmember having a chambered portion above the threaded opening, said member having the walls remote from the threaded opening flexible, an expanding member within said chambered portion and engaging with thev flexible portion of the said member said expanding member having a central opening, a cap within said chambered portion above the threaded opening and having an extending portion which extends into the opening in the expanding member said extension engaging with the expanding member to center the cap and provide a swivel connection between the cap and the expanding member, a packing within the cap member said packing having a central opening.

8. The combination with a shell 0f a dust cap, of a member Within said dust cap said member having frictional engagement with the walls of the dust cap said member having a threaded opening at the ends thereof which is opposite the openings in the shell, said member being also provided with a chambered portion, the walls of said member being flexible, an expanding member within the said chambered portion and engaging with the portions of the walls thereof which are flexible, said expanding member having` a` central opening, a cap member within the chambered portion said cap member having a dome-like extension which extends into the opening in the expansion member, the inner surface of the said expanding member being slanting whereby the expanding member engages the cap substantially only at the base of the dome on substantially a line contact, a packing member within the cap said packing `member having an enlarged central opening.

In `testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

ADELBERT E. BRoNsoN.

in engagement with the expansible 

